Combined camera and illuminator



March 9, 1937. ALD-ERMAN Re. 20,281

COMBINED CAMERA AND ILLUMINATOR 7 Original Fileci Nov. 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Q. ,5 g m-0U A0 47 xzazzer March 9, 1937. A. E. ALDERMAN I COMBINED CAMERA AND ILLUMINATOR O'riginal Filed Nov. 4; 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amawt oz a. .Z'. @258 rm,

Reissuetl Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED CAMERA AND ILLUMINATOR Alonzo E. Alderman, Washington, D. 0., assignor to Burton Manufacturing Company, Inc., Chlcago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois 14 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) The invention aims to provide a unique, compact, convenient and efllcient device for taking sharply defined photographs at close range, for instance, photos of diseased parts of the human body, for physicians, surgeons, dentists and lecturers' use. For such purposes, illumination of the subject is an all important factor and requires a flash of light at the instant of making the exposure. Heretofore, it has been most diflicult to provide for flash illumination which will not cast such shadows upon the subject as to produce a very indistinct photograph. Then too, the taking of color photographs with flash illumination, has previously met with little success. Due to the nature of my invention, however, such uniform flash illumination is attained, that sharply defined photographs may be taken, even in colors, and for records of disease treatment and for classroom instruction, only color photographs will adequately suiflce.

Other drawbacks which have heretofore existed in the taking of flashlight photographs, are the inconvenience of carrying various accessories from place to place and the difliculty of properly pre-arranging the illuminating means, connecting wires with base sockets, lamp sockets, .etc. Such drawbacks, however, are effectively overcome by the present invention in which all necessary equipment is embodied in a single light and compact unit.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a combined camera and illuminator constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4.0! Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view substantially on line 55 of Figure 4 but showing a number of parts in elevation.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the means under a single control for actuating the camera shutter and closing a circuit to operate the flash bulb.

A preferred construction has been shown and will be specifically described, with the understanding however, that numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

A bowl-like reflector 9 is provided, a photographic camera 9 is centrally mounted at the open front of said reflector, the camera lens It! being presented away from said reflector, an

illuminating bulb I I, preferably a flashbulb, is

centrally mounted in the rear portion of the reflector 9 directly behind the camera 9, and means are provided, under a single manual contrbl, for operating the camera shutter I2 and 0105 g a circuit for the bulb II.. The light from this b b is concentrated by the reflector 8 upon the zone to be photographed and the illumination is effected so uniformly that the photograph will be free from obscuring shadows. 7

The camera 9 is preferably of fixed focus, and to properly space it from the subject, I provide a spacing device I3 which is pivoted at l3 to the reflector 8, said spacing device being swingable forwardly to an operative position at which it may abut the subject, and being swingable rearwardly, when not in use, into compact relation with said reflector. Difliculties with regard to proper focusing of the camera are thus overcome and by using a bulb l l of the same strength each time a photograph is to be taken, it is insured that the proper relation between illumination and camera focus shall exist. Moreover, the camera shutter I2 is preferably of such type that its degree of I opening cannot be varied, so that by simply pressing the control button I and instantaneously releasing it, the same exposure will be made in all cases. There are thus no details for the photographer to contend with, it being simply necessary that he properly space the device from the subject with the aid of the spacer l3 and that he then press the control I 4.

In order that it may not be necessary to connect any current supply wires with base sockets, lamp sockets or the like in the room in which the exposure is to be made, a battery is preferably unitarily assembled with the rest of the apparatus, for supplying the necessary current to illuminate the bulb II. In the present showing, the battery consists of two cells l5 held by spring clips I6 which are carried by an insulating base l1. Upon this insulating base, the socket I8 for the bulb I I, is mounted, together with a switch I! for completing a circuit for said bulb, and a safety switch 20. The latter remains normally open to prevent possible flashing of the bulb I I before the desired time, due to any accidental pressing of the control I l, and is closed immediately before the exposure is to be made. Spring contacts II are preferably mounted on the base H to engage the terminals of the cells I5. and any adequate conducting meansmay operatively connect these contacts with the switches l9 and 20, and the socket l8.

A mount for the camera 9 serves also as a reinforcing means for the open front of the reflector 3, preventing possible distortion of the latter. In the present showing, the mount comprises a rectangular frame 22 having radiating arms 23, the outer ends of the latter being suitably secured to the reflector. I have shown a plate 24 lying against the rear side of the frame22, and bolts 25 in the four corners of said frame, said bolts passing through said plate 24 and through the rear wall 26 of the camera 9.

The spacer I3 is preferably in the form of an H-shaped frame, the side members of said frame being pivotally mounted at l3, at one end, and being provided with balls or the like 2'! at their other ends, to contact with the subject to be photographed. A chain or the like 23 may well connect at one end with the cross bar 29 of this,

frame and connect at its other end to the camera or camera support to limitthe forward projection of the spacer,'as seen in Figure 1.

For convenient handling and holding, the reflector 8 is provided with two hand-grips 30 disposed at its opposite sides, and the control I4 is adjacent one of these hand-grips to be easily operated with one finger. This control is preferably in the form of a push button on the front end of a rod 3| disposed at the exterior of the reflector 3, the front portion of this rod being guided in a suitable bearing 32 while its rear end is pivoted to an upstanding arm 33 on a rock shaft 34 which passes through the reflector side wall and is mounted in an appropriate bearing 35.

Rock shaft 34 is provided with another upstanding crank arm 36 having a lateral finger 31 to close the switch I 9. Pivoted to and extending forwardly from the crank arm 36, is another rod 33 connected with an upstanding crank arm 39 on a rock shaft 43 which extends to the interior of the camera 9, said rock shaft 49 being provided with a forwardly projecting crank arm 4| connected by a coiled spring or the like 42 with the operating arm 43 of the shutter l2. This shutter is preferably in the form of a simple swingable vane.

A rearward press upon the control button i4 effects swinging of, the shutter l2 to open position and causes the finger 31 to close the switch l9. Thus, switch 20 having been previously closed, the exposure ismade and a flash is produced. The light from the bulb II is concentrated by the reflector 3 upon the area to be photographed, and the illumination is so perfect that the completed photograph will be entirely free from obscuring shadows. Moreover, the photograph will have the desired appearance with regard to depth, instead of having a more or less flat appearance, as often occurs with flashlight photographs.

In the preferred manner of forming the reflector 3, I make use of a bowl-like metal shell 45 having flat rearwardly con-verging side portions 46 which extend from the front to the rear of said reflector and are disposed in edge-to-edge relation. Lying against the inner sides of these portions 46, are conventional glass mirrors 4'! whose front ends are held in metal channels 41' secured to the reflector shell by bolts 43', said mirrors being in edge-to-edge contact, as shown. A rear mirror 43 is also provided, having a central opening 49 in axial alinement with the socket l3, said mirror 43 having fflat reflecting surfaces 59, whichextend from said opening 49 to the zmirrors 41. In the present showing, to obtain the centration of light upon the subject, said reflecting surfaces 50 are somewhat oblique to the longitudinal axis of the reflector 3.

The reflector 43 is preferably formed by a metal plate which is disposed in front of the cells I5,

socket I 3, switch l9, and the various conductors, and said reflector 49 may well be held in place by studs 5| projecting forwardly from the base ll through openings in said reflector, and small nuts 52 threaded upon the front ends 'of said studs. By removing these nuts, the reflector 43 may be forwardly withdrawn for giving access to the cells i5 whenever it is necessary to change the latter.

The insulating base I1 is suitably secured, in the present showing, against the rear end wall '53 of the reflector shell 45, and the operating knob or the like 54 for the switch 20 is accessible at the exterior of said wall 53.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a novel and advantageous structure has been provided for carrying out the desired ends. Not only can the device be readily carried from place to place, but it may be unitarily positioned for use and operated at an instant's notice. The central bulb l I, in its association with the camera and reflecting means, gives ample illumination to attain the best results. This bulb is directly behind the camera 9 and hence is well protected against accidental breakage. Moreover, should the bulb by any possibility explode when it flashes, the camera will protect the subject against flying glass.

The details which I have shown and described have proven desirable in actual operation of the invention-and these details may therefore be considered as preferred. However, attention is again invited to the possibility of making numerous variations, within the scope of the invention as.

claimed.

I claim: 1. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector, a photographic camera mounted centrally at the open side of said reflector and having its lens presented away from the latter, and an illuminator mounted centrally within said reflector behind said camera.

2. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector, a camera support disposed centrally at the open side of said reflector, said support having. radial arms attached to the rim of the reflector to both mount said support and hold said reflector rim against deformation, a photographic camera mounted on said support and having itslens presented away from said reflector, and an illuminator mounted centrally within said reflector behind said camera.

3. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector, a photographic camera mounted centrally at the open side of said reflector and having its lens presented away from the latter, a bulb socket mounted in the rear end of said reflector, a flash bulb in said socket and disposed behind said camera, means for supplying current to said socket, said means including shutter.

4. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector, a photographic camera mounted centrally at the open side of said reflector and having its lens presented away from the latter, a bulb socket mounted in the rear end -of said reflector, a flash bulb in said socket and' disposed behind said camera, a battery holder,

a battery held by'said holder, means for completing a circuit from said battery through said flash bulb, said means including a switch, and means under a single "control for closing said switch and actuating the camera shutter, all of the aforesaid elements being assembled into a single hand-held unit.

5'. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector having a plurality of flat rearwardly converging reflecting surfaces at the inner side of its side wall, said reflecting surfaces being disposed in edge-to-edge relation, said bowl-like reflector also having a rear reflector provided with flat reflecting surfaces which radiate to the flrst named reflecting surfaces, a flash bulb mounted centrally of said rear reflector, a camera mounted directly in front of said flash bulb in flxed relation with the aforesaid elements, and means under a single control for operating the camera shutter and completing a circuit for said bulb, said reflecting surfaces being 'relatedto concentrate the light from the bulb centrally in front of the camera.

6. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector shell having a plurality of flat rearwardly converging side wall areas extending from the front to the rear of said reflector and disposed in edge-to-edge relation, said reflector shell having a rear end wall connected with its side wall, an insulating base mounted on the front side of said end wall, a bulb socket mounted centrally on the front side of said insulating base, a switch and a battery also mounted on said base, said switch being closable to complete a circuit for a bulb in said socket, flat mirrors secured against the inner sides of said flat side wall areas, a rear mirror in front of said socket, battery and switch and having a central opening co-axial with said socket, said rear mirror having flat reflecting areas extending from said opening to the first-named mirrors, a camera directly in front of and spaced forwardly from said socket, means mounting said camera on said shell, and means under a single control for actuating the camera shutter and closing said switch, said mirrors being related to concentrate the light from the bulb centrally in advance of the camera.

7. In combination with a bowl-like reflector and a fixed-focus photographic camera mounted centrally at the open front thereof, a spacing device pivotally mounted on the front of said reflector, said spacing device being forwardly swingable to a position to abut the subject to be photographed and being rearwardly swingable into compact relation with said reflector.

8. In a device of the character described, a bowl-like reflector, and camera mounting means cooperatively associated with said reflector adapted to secure the camera means in front of and at the open side of said reflector, said camera mounting means extending from the outer periphery of said reflector toward the axial line of said reflector.

9. In a combined camera and illuminator, an internally depressed reflector and camera mo'unting means co-operatively associated with said res flector for securing a camera in front of and at an open side of said reflector, said camera mounting means including a bracket comprising a body portion and arms rigidly extending outwardly therefrom for connection with the reflector.

10. In a combined camera and illuminator, an internally depressed reflector and camera mounting means co-operatively associated with said reflector for securing a camera in front of and at an open side of said reflector, said camera mounting means including a bracket comprising a body portion and arms rigidly extending radially outwardly therefrom, and engaged with a peripheral edge of the reflector.

11. In a combined camera and illuminator, a reflector having rearwardly converging surfaces, a camera support disposed at an open side of the reflector, said support including radial arms attached to the rim of the reflector for both mounting said support and holding the reflector rim against deformation, a photographic camera mounted on said support and having its lens presented outwardly from said reflector, and an 11-- luminator mounted within said reflector rearwardly of said camera.

12. In a combined camera and illuminator, a reflector having rearwardly converging surfaces, a photographic camera disposed at an open side of said reflector and having its lens presented outwardly from the reflector, a bulb socket mounted in the rear end of the reflector, a flash bulb in said socket and disposed rearwardly of the camera, means for supplying current to said socket, said means including a switch, and means under a single control for closing said switch and actuating the camera shutter.

13. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a reflector shell having a plurality of rearwardly converging reflecting areas extending from the front to the rear of the reflector shell, said reflector shell also having a rear end wall, illuminator'means mounted in said end wall, and a camera disposed in front of, and spaced forwardly from, said illuminator.

14. A combined camera and illuminator comprising a bowl-like reflector having an outer peripheral edge, a camera having an optical axis and a plane of aperture, said camera being mounted at the open side of said reflector having its lens presented away from said reflector and having its optical axis passing inside the peripheral edge of the reflector, and illuminator means mounted within said reflector and substantially behind the plane of aperture of the camera, said illuminator means being furthermore so mounted within the reflector in relation to the camera that no direct rays therefrom will pass out of the reflector beyond the plane of aperture of the camera.

ALONZO E. ALDERMAN. 

